JDMswagSerf

So im looking at some springs. I was looking at the tein green s tech springs.
I have owned these before and they did well.
They lower 2.5"/F-1.7"/R.
The spring rates are 335F / 274R lbs./in.

These much cheaper springs specs are
lower 1.75"F-1.5"R
spring rates 450F 250R lbs./in.

I see the difference in spring rates and lowering inches.
Will the spring rate make a big difference from the cheaper springs to the tein springs?

I have also found some tru hart springs that lower
2.5"F-2.25/R but they offer no spring rates.

Will the cheap srpings give a similar ride to the tein springs?
Thanks in advance.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

2.5 (!!!!!) front and 1.7 rear? With those rates? Is this for an accord/tsx?

Tein's (and other reputable companies') springs are engineered using actual R&D. So the rates are figured out in order to match good ride quality handling. As well as considering damper stroke/damper force....as well as quite a few other things. Rust proofing, dead coils, etc etc. And they're built with quality control...so the rates are consistent and the springs are made from a suitable grade of steel.

What are you saving by cheaping out? $50-100?

What shocks are you using? What type of car? Spring rates by themselves don't mean much.

JDMswagSerf

Sorry I should have added what car. It's a 95 LS integra coupe with tociko illuminas.
Yes, idk why I posted trying to compare cheap springs for a $75 difference.
I will be going with the teins.
Now is the tein s tech better than the h tech? Or vice versa

Thanks for the reply.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

You sure S techs are a 2.5" drop? You'd need special shocks or extended top hats for that on an integra. Thats a lot.

As for the difference between S techs and H techs....the H tech is a softer, more luxury oriented spring. S techs are more sporty.

I wouldn't lower an integra 2.5" on 325LB springs unless you did shortened shocks and extended hats...and did something about the upper control arm hitting the shock tower on big bumps.

I thought S Techs were a 1.5" drop for an integra?

B serious

iTrader: (1)

Edit: looks like S Techs do advertise a 2.5" drop up front.

I wouldn't do that. That would leave you with like...less than 1" of total shock travel. I wouldn't drop an integra more than 1.5" on stock length shocks.

JDMswagSerf

Thanks for the replies again B Serious.
So if I wanted to drop the integra more than 1.5" I would need extended tops hats for stock length shocks correct?

The wheels I just bought for the car are wide and I will not stretch or tuck the tires.
So I think the most I can lower it on the wheels will be around 1.5"-1.7".

And thanks for the info on the tein springs. The s tech are more stuff right. Since the h tech are softer.

Would stock leg th shocks be appropriate with an extended top hat when lowering the car some?
I will measure the car height tomorrow with the new wheels and tires to see exactly how high/low it is.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

Yeah...a 2.5" drop is a LOT. Especially for 325LB springs. You may be better off with extended hats. But...with extended hats, you might end up hitting the shock tower with the upper control arm.

Idk. I would just not lower it that much haha. Eibach prokit springs may be a better idea. I think those are like a 1.25 or 1.5" drop.

I know from experience that 2.5" is too much. I used to have eibach sportlines on a 99 Si. The car rode like **** and had the potential to bang the shock towers with the control arm.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

If you do want a 2.5" drop....just drive carefully, I guess. As long as you don't hit really big bumps, you might be OK.

What shocks are you using?

JDMswagSerf

Thanks again b serious.
The car was slammed before and I already have signs of the upper control arm bashing the shock tower .
Just looked up the prokit springs and they are a bit more than the teins. +$70 or so. 1.3" drop all around.

And from what I just read the car will sit lower in the rear. So I don't think I will be getting those because I was the rear to sit a bit higher.

The new wheels I have are requiring me to have about a 3/4"-1" gap from fender to tire.
The wheels pop out and I don't want to stretch or camber in the tires to sit "flush".

Maybe you can direct me to a spring that will drop around 1.5"/F 1.7"/R?
I'm thinking to go with something stiff. Would a stiffer spring require a higher spring rate?
I just don't want the tire to hit the fender if I go over some bump at high speed.

As for shocks I'm looking for a set of shocks as well.
I may go with stock kyb replacement and extended top hat.

EDIT: just saw my first post. The much cheaper springs offers the drop of 1.7"/F 1.5"/R
The spring rating is at 450/F 250/R. Is this spring rating for a stiff travel? Or is it leaning towards a softer ride?

The H-tech which you said are the softer springs after a 1.7"/F drop 0.9"/R with a spring rating of
296/F 250/R. So these are out of the picture.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

The spring rate is the stiffness of the spring. Stock (non ITR) Integra springs are like 200LB front and 100LB rear.

A stock shock or KYB stock replacement shock won't handle a 450LB spring too well. You will bounce all over the place.

If you're buying springs and stock replacement shocks, you're looking around $400-500, correct?

For that price, Tein sells a Street Basis coilover system. It comes with springs and height adjustable shocks. The huge advantage is that the spring rates are matched to the shocks. The shocks are also shortened to allow proper travel. From experience, the ride quality is better than stock. This may be your best bet.

An upgrade from those would be the Tein Street Advance. They have damping force adjustment. They should be in the high $500's to low $600's if they're available for your chassis.

Try THmotorsports.com. They're a Honda Tech vendor. Their prices on the website are great. But give them a call and say you heard about them on HT...they may even whack a couple bucks off.

Look on Tein's website for part numbers because there seem to be some discrepancies on TH's site. The part number for the Street Basis for the DC4/DC2 (non ITR) integra is GSH96-1USS2. If you don't see it on the site, give them a call.

TunerN00b

With an aproximate 2.5" lowering in the front of my 2000 GSR, 400 lbs/in springs were not adequate to keep the UCAs from periodically tapping the shock towers, with extended upper shock mounts of course. 335 lbs/in isn't going to come close to being enough spring for that.

Looked awesome though.

I would be looking for something in the 550+ lbs/in range up front if the intention is to slam the car like that.

My solution was to raise the car back up to a reasonable height instead. That's the joy of threaded spring perches.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

That's the downside to extended hats. The shock doesn't run out of travel...but the UCA runs out of room.

My ITR had 600LB springs in front. Previous owner removed the bumpstops. It was about 0.75" to 1" lower than stock (so about 2" lower than a regular Integra). The shock would smash into the tophat on big bumps. But no shock tower to UCA contact that I know of. The stock suspension is designed to stop before UCA contact (with hard enough tophat bushings).

It has softer springs and bumpstops now. And is a little bit higher. Because I'm an adult.

JDMswagSerf

Thanks for the part number b serious.
Yea with new shocks and spring needed its looking like $400 will be needed.
I just looked up the street basis and from what i see, the height is adjusted by simply turning the collor the spring sits on, so the spring load is the same all the time no matter the height correct? Being 448lbs/F-225lbs/R.

One thing i am confused on when it says the drop specifications.
-4.1" max drop. 1.0" min. drop.
So once these are installed they automaticlly sit 1" lower than stock coreect?

And if i wanted(doubt it) i could drop it to -4" lower than stock and the shock would be fine?
I dont think i will go that low ever. Recommend max drop is -3.4" anyways and for the money ill be spending i wont want to blow them.

I also see its the same part number as the 90-93 integra shocks. Either application for 90-93/94-01 would fit my 95 coreect? I ask because the 90-93 are cheaper on ebay than the 94-01.

Tunernoob, the suspension you are running now only has the height adjustment as well? The perches the spring sit on rotate to adjust height, or does it have sepereat threads on the lower part of the shock body?

Extended top hats on street basis coilovers would not be good then right?

B serious

iTrader: (1)

The part numbers are not the same for 90-93 integras. And no...that application won't work for you.

I'd be surprised if eBay has them listed cheaper than THM. I think THM had them at $400something shipped. They are a legitimate dealer, so you know what you're getting. I have ordered quite a few coilover systems from them.

Buy the correct part number per tein's website.

Do not use extended hats with the teins. You don't want to or need to. Re-use your stock hats.

If you do end up buying them, read the installation manual. Install to the specs listed in the manual.

Minimum lowering is 1". The highest you can get them to go is 1" lower than stock. You can lower them up to 4". But dont do that.

Spring rates are the same, regardless of height. Spring rate is just a measure of how much force it takes to compress a spring to a certain interval. For a linear 450LB spring, it takes 450LB of force to compress the spring per inch. So...450LB for 1". 900LB for 2". And so on.

Set the car up within the range of their recommended specs.

I have had a set of street advance on my TSX for about 50k+ miles now. They work beautifully and they still arent rusted with 3 or 4 chicago winters under their belt.

JDMswagSerf

Thanks for the clarification and confirmation b serious!

Could you please post a link of the THM site where they are $400?
The ones I found were in the $550+ range.
Okay got it. At the fullest height they will be lowering the car 1".
Now I know how spring rates work. Thanks.

JDMswagSerf

Just found them. It's the cheapest place I saw them.
Guess they aren't $400
TEIN Street Basis Coilovers with Corrosion Resistent ZT Coating - GSH96-1USS2

B serious

iTrader: (1)

Search on their website for that part number exactly how it is typed.

JDMswagSerf

Okay thanks for all the help man! Much appreciated.